Barbara Brogliatti, who worked at CBS, Lorimar and Warner Bros. during her 40 years in entertainment publicity, died Sunday. She was 69.
Brogliatti died in Napa Valley, Calif., following a lengthy battle with cancer, Scott Rowe of Warner Bros. announced.
A Los Angeles native and graduate of UCLA, Brogliatti’s four-decade career in entertainment began in the publicity department at CBS. She rose quickly and caught the eye of All in the Family producer Norman Lear, who tapped Brogliatti to create and head a public-relations team for his companies.
After 11 years at CBS, Brogliatti joined Lorimar as head of corporate communications, public affairs and investor relations. She moved on to form her own PR and marketing firm when Warner Communications acquired Lorimar in 1989. The Brogliatti Co. handled the likes of Lear, Haim Saban, Jean Stapleton, Barbara Walters and DIC Animation.
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Brogliatti returned to Lorimar in 1990 to head television, publicity, promotion and advertising. In 1993, Lorimar and Warner Bros. TV were consolidated into one entity, and Brogliatti became the studio’s senior TV PR and communications executive, working on such iconic shows as Friends, Dallas, All in the Family, Full House and ER.
Brogliatti also was a key figure in promoting the telethon America: A Tribute to Heroes, which in one night raised about $150 million for victims of 9/11.
In 1997, Brogliatti created the Warner Bros. worldwide corporate communications department, with her purview stretching studiowide on matters of communications and PR. She was the executive vp and chief communications office of Warner Bros. until her retirement in 2005.
Outside of her work for studios, Brogliatti was a leader on issues affecting the entertainment industry, serving as chairperson of the MPAA’s Anti-Piracy PR and education task force as well as chief press strategist and spokesperson for the Coalition for the Repeal of the Financial Interest & Syndication Rule and, for 25 years, as the PR strategist and spokesperson for the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.
She served as a pro bono consultant to numerous nonprofit organizations. Additionally, she was as a member of the board of governors for Chapman University; grantor/creator of Spencer+Colton Teacher Grants (Napa Valley Education Foundation); and a member of UCLA Centennial Campaign Committee. She served on the boards of the Napa Valley Performing Arts Center at Lincoln Theater, Read It Loud! Foundation and MEND (a Los Angeles-based poverty relief organization). She also served as an adjunct professor of communications at Bradley University and was working on a public relations handbook for nonprofit organizations.
Brogliatti is survived by her husband of 44 years, Ray; brother Larry; sister-in-law, Laurie; niece Kate; nephew Riley; and goddaughter Amanda, her husband David and their daughter Lottie.
A celebration of life will be held in the fall.
